1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording media unit and more particularly to a shutter mechanism for a recording media unit in which a recording media is loaded by being entirely accommodated therein and that is provided for by closing a slot of said recording media unit through which the recording media is inserted and ejected.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording media unit configured to load a recording media is provided with a shutter mechanism for closing a slot through which the recording media is inserted and ejected. A typical shutter mechanism includes a single shutter that closes a slot in a state where the recording media is not loaded. With such a shutter mechanism, the slot is closed by a rear end part of the recording media itself in a state where the recording media is loaded.
Conventionally, a recording media unit is also known in which a recording media is entirely accommodated and which includes two shutters, i.e., first and second shutters, that are provided at a slot of the recording media unit where through the recording media is inserted and ejected. The first shutter closes the slot in a state where the recording media is not loaded and the second shutter closes the slot in a state where the recording media is loaded.
According to the above-structure, a link mechanism is provided that is associated with the second shutter such that the link mechanism operates in an interlocked manner with a loading operation of the recording media so as to close the second shutter and the link mechanism operates in an interlocked manner with an ejection operation of the recording media so as to open the second shutter.
Such a recording media unit of the related art is provided with a link mechanism, having at least a sliding member, or rod, and a pivoting member, in association with the shutter and thus has drawbacks that a large number of components are required for the link mechanism, that the structure becomes complex and that it is difficult to minimize the structure of the recording media unit.
Also, in a case where the link mechanism fails to operate smoothly, the second shutter will not open and close smoothly. Further, if the link mechanism becomes inoperative for some reason, it may happen that the second shutter cannot open or close.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a recording media unit that can obviate the drawbacks described above.
It is another and more specific object of the present invention to provide a recording media accommodating unit having a first and second shutter in which the second shutter can operate without requiring a link mechanism for pivoting the second shutter.
In order to achieve the above objects according to the present invention, a recording media unit including a slot through which a recording media is inserted into and ejected out of the recording media unit, a first shutter, attached to the recording media unit, that closes the slot in a state where the recording media is not accommodated in the recording media unit, and a second shutter, pivotably attached to the recording media unit, that closes the slot in a state where the recording media is accommodated in the recording media unit is provided, wherein the first shutter is configured to open in accordance with an insertion operation of the recording media in which the recording media pushes the first shutter, and the second shutter is configured to rotate about a pivot at one end of the second shutter in accordance with an ejection operation of the recording media in which the recording media pushes the second shutter.
According to the invention described above, the structure of the recording media unit can be simplified and minimized and also there will be no failure related to operations of the link mechanism. Therefore, an opening and closing operations of the first and second shutters can be implemented with an improved reliability.